Adjustable lined container having interchangeable screw-threaded sections



I' Feb. 18, 1947. Tl F, BENNETT 2,416,142

ADJUSTABLE LINED CONTAINER HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE SCREW-THREADED SECTIONS Filed Jan. 26, 1945 INVENTOR.

BY THOMAS F. BENNETT Patented Feb. 18, 1947 ADJUSTABLE LINED CONTAINER /INTERCHANGEABLE soREWr-frHnEADED SECTIONS' Thomas F- Bennett, Joplin, assigner. to Hercules Powder Company, 'Wilmington Del., aoornoration of` Delaware Application January 2.6, 19Q3,Sgril;NQ- 51713;@ 97

A claims. (ci. z zfofiri A"I."iiis.irrvention relates to an virri-proved container and more particularly to an improved container haviher means adapted .to permit variation of the i cubic content thereof. Y

In general, containers are provided for the purpose of receiving an article' in protecting relationship ltherewith and for the purpose of facilitating handling thereof. Wherethe article .to be handled and protected is of a fixed Volume; the container likewise may have a fixed cubic content. However, Where the volume ofthe article iseoot lined, itis necessary, in order to handle-and protect the article in the most efficient and economicalmanner, to-providecontainers of various cubic vcontent. Again, Where it is'not possible to foresee. within what ,limitsof volume 4the article willftake, it becomes extremely difiicult to provide a suiiieient cubic content range of containers. Consequently, there are times when a proper container is not immediately vavailable ,-for efciently and economically protecting and handlingthe, article.

Therefore, `the. object of the fpresentinvention is toprovide a-singlecontainer designed to efcient.- lyand 4economically protect and facilitate handling of larticles regardless of their volume size.

.Another object is toprovide a container'made uD 0,f adjustable units constructed and arranged infsuch a way as to permit cubic `content variation of` thecontainer.

Afurther object is to provide container inserts comprising tubular units threadedly interconnectedandvmovable relative to each other in such a 4,manner as to permit variation in the cubic content of the inserts and permit interconnection of the insert :with additional inserts,

Generally described, `the present invention comprisesa tubular container made uplof a pldrallty of adjustable inserts lor container units. The container units consist of a liner provided with a peripheral thread, and a sleeve of s nbsterrtieliyfthe Some length asthe liner and adepted tobe rreceived on the liner 4in thread-interlooking. relationship A container `of any desired cubic content may be made up by Vas sernbling lthe desired number of vunits .into one oorltinuonsv ycontainer unit. Ishe assembly is per- 2 Y t Having non-indicated a; eeneralway the rroture and,` vpurpose of "this invention, there iol' lows a morletfetailed description of preferred4 booirrierits thereofwith rererenoe to the, eoeorrlpenyingdrawihe irl which:

Rial soplan view, partly in section. showie ooimproved .container including one type of olor' sure limits.-

vFie. 2,is a pleo View of .the .improved Container inol-dihg another type of .closure .unit

Fig. 3: is a .plan View of the .improved Container inoludinehoth types of closure units:

Fig.. .4l is a View ihorossseetioh of one' type. of closure cap. l

Fig.' 5 is a' plan viewpartly .inusectlon snowing the .liner Afuly disengaged fromthesleere Fig, 6 iso plan View. partlyiolseotion .showing the sleeve fully disengaged `from the liner.

rig. v7 alan viewof another ,type of" elosure cap.r

sloovszri yir; Fies- 1, v2, ang are made .op 'of orreor more container @units or ihr' sorts ir1....oeted generally ato-l0- The Component parte of the container ooit |10 are clearly shown by ries-eerie@ 'Free :;1: 2 and? also Show verious, arrangements. of the oontaioer inserte* had the @are shown irrriese oxidi- ,Eeoh ,container unit comprises aninner sleeve'or liner 'I I shim/n vin, Fie. 5 .and an. ,outer YSleeve l2 v,Shown in Fie. 6. Thelirier H hier beroerde .ofn enfv Suitable tubular material as, for example, Wood, metal, synthetic material; or paper. The liner Il is provided'witlfi a soirelspeoed thread temine phono *13 mounted oo ,the oer'p eroi soriaoe thereof es clearly shown infie-'15,- .The upstondhgthreed l? oh tneeleeve .Il may'be formedfby applying spiral,- 1y any suitable rthreadforrriioflfg merino as; ,for example; je corsi. 1,4 .on theeliriooe of Qtheliner' extehldiriie from one end to' the other-` ihe oord t4 may he .held in oleoe irl ehvruiteble mehrerer by jmeahsof 'the overlaid band of Apaper i5 Whioh is` relatively'sthin and Whichissecuredjto the cord 'lit andthe vsurface ofv the Y-sleeve by suitablev adhesive.v A more vdetailed'disclosure for formingl-this cord rtype `thread may be found in the application to Latimer and Smith, fSerial formed byirst ypartly,c iiseneaeine the linerend sleeve of each unit, thereby providing a connecting means at each end of thepartly `disengaged unit. Corresponding connecting means are -then interconnected with each other to form a singlegcontinuous container. Suitable ycap units are providedfor .closing fthe @open ends of the-zcontainer. o

Number'455g756, filed August 22,1942., nowzPatent No. y2,405i909. Y

'The'.sleexle I2-.1nay bermadeof any suitablettubular` material as, yfor -examp1e,wood, metal, synthetic material, or papen lThe inner surface of thefsleerecl :is provided. with@ spiral spaced thread receiving fgroove'lr @When the sleeve lf2 iS l marie np for v.a number .of plies or kstrips-of paper- H and i8, ftheathread receivinssroovet6 or paper.

the art complete the construction of the sleeveV Y I2. The pitch of the thread receiving groove I6 and the pitch of the upstanding thread I3 are of an equal value in order that the sleeve4 may` be received upon the liner in thread interlocking relationship. A more detailed disclosure for forming this Ythread receiving: groove may' be found in the above noted application;4

Fig. 4 shows a female type container closure I9'which may be made of any `suitable-material as, for example, wood, metal, synthetic materiah Where the cap is made of plies of paper a manner similar to that described with may then be closed at each end by means ofthe caps I9.

In accordance with the foregoing description, it is apparent that the objects ofthe present invention have been achieved by providing a container insertv comprising` a liner having a spiral thread and a sleeve having a spiral-thread receiving groove each adapted to be interconnected with each other and with additional liners and sleeves to form a container the cubic content of which depends upon the number of sleeves and liners used in constructing the container.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: j

1. An adjustable container having a plurality of interconnected liner and sleeve elements, said reference to the Vsleeve `I2k a thread receiving e groove I'S'isV provided on the inner surface ofthe cap Isin a manner very similar to that described with reference't'o the. sleeve' I2. "The cap I9 is similar generally in constructionY to thesleeve I2I except that 'the cap'i's closed at one end in any w'ell known manner and further that the thread substantially half-way of the overalllength of the cap and terminates atV the shoulders 20. The f pitch'of lthe thread receiving groove IB of the liner and sleeve elements'being tubular and of Vsubstantially the same length, e. thread exteriorly,

' thread in locking relationship therewith, said cap I9.is of the same value as the pitch of ther' threadl I3 on the sleeve II so that the sleeve II may be received in thread,interlocking'relationship Withthe cap I9.

Fig. '7'Ashows a, maleV type container closure cap 2| .which may be constructed of wood, metal,

synthetic materiel, er peper. i The threaded pertion of the cap is constructed in a'V manner simi` larto rthe manner in Whichthe liner II 'is con-'-I structedf J The threads I3 terminate at the shoulder nportion 22 lof the cap 2I and are ofthe same` pitch `valuefasthe thread"I 3f on', the liner `I I,.so

` thatthe'sleeve I2 may. be received in thread in:`

terloclgingvr relationship with the threaded portion of the cap 2I'. Both endsfof the tubularcapZI are closed asshown at 23'and `24 in any'suitable Inanrier@` rm the foregoing disclosure, it may be Tread.' ily appreciated that the liner I I and sleevev IZ'used eitherjalone or in conjunction (with other liners and sleeves and in conjunction with the caps I5 and 2| may be interconnected tofrm a container, the cubic'contentof which is dependent upon the Anumber of'. units used in making up the con-v tainer. Thus, Fig.-2 shows a containerfmade up or'three sleevsI2 held in interlocked relationship'rwith each other by means ofthe two liners 'II and closed atdeach end by the containerclosure cap'ZI. ,Ano'ther'arrangement of parts is shown by Fig. 3, wwherein one sleeve I2 and Y'one liner vI I aremoved to partlyrengaged relationship 'With-each other and the sleeve end of the unit sleeve elements and said liner elements Y being movablewith respect to each other and being in abutting relationship with an adjacent liner ele- Yment and sleeve element respectively, thereby providing a container having the sleeve elements and liner elements thereof adapted to vary the length of said containerand positioned in a, substantially continuous relationship withV each other. 1 Y Y Y f j j 2. An adjustable container 'having a plurality of interconnected paper liner and paper sleeve elements, said liner and'sleeve elements being tubular and of substantially the same length, a thread exteriorly-Y of Veach of said liners and ex*- tending spirally throughout the length thereof, a thread receiving meansdisposed on thefinnery surface of each of said sleeve elements and extending spirally throughout the length thereof and adapted to receive said liner" thread in locking relationship therewith,l said sleeve elements and said liner elements Vbeing movable with respect to each other and being inrabutting relationship with an adjacent linerelement and sleeve element respectively, thereby providing a container havingY the sleeve elements` andrlner ele- 3.7An adjustable container having a plurality of interconnected liner elements and `sleeve ele I ments, the liner elements and the sleeve elements being tubular and of"Y substantially the Vsame length, a thread'exteriorlydisposed on each of said liner elements and extending jspirally throughout the length thereof, a thread in?y teriorlyV disposed on each of said sleeve elements and extending spirally throughout the length thereof, the liner elements and the sleeve elements being movable in threaded relationship lwith each other and in Vabutting relationship to thereby lock the interconnected liner and sleeve elements, said liner and sleeve elementsby addition or removal thereof, being Yadapted to adjust the length of said container, 'and closure means for eachv end of'said container. f Y

4. An adjustable container 'having a plurality of interconnected paper liner elements and paper sleeve elements, the liner elements and the-'sleeve elements being tubular and of vsubstantiallythe same length, a thread exteriorly'disposed on eachf' of said liner elements and extendingspirally throughout the length thereof, a thread interiorly disposed on each of said sleeve elements and extending spirally throughout the length thereof, the liner elements and the sleeve elements being movable in threaded relationship with each other and in abutting relationship to thereby 1ook the interconnected liner and sleeve elements, said liner and sleeve elements by addition or removal thereof, being adapted to adjust the length of said container, and threaded closure means for each end of said container.

5. A11 adjustable container having a plurality of interconnected paper liner elements and paper sleeve elements, the liner elements and the sleeve elements being tubular and of substantially the same length, a thread exteriorly disposed on each of said liner elements and extending spirally throughout the length thereof, a, thread interiorly disposed on each of said sleeve elements and extending spirally throughout the length thereof, the liner elements and the sleeve elements being movable in threaded relationship with each other and in abutting relationship to thereby lock the interconnected liner and sleeve elements, said liner and sleeve elements by addition or removal thereof, being adapted to adjust the length of said container, and threaded closure means for each end of said container, said closure means being in abutting relationship with the sleeve elements at each end of said container.

THOMAS F. BENNETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 5 le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 127,438 Stephens June 4, 1872 2,004,501 Curtis June 11, 1935 1,995,428 Keely Mar. 26, 1935 1,904,675 Boyer Apr, 18, 1933 1,269,207 Nolan June 11, 1918 2,299,182 Schoof Oct, 20, 1942 1,451,622 Marston Apr. 10, 1923 1,930,968 Doesinger Oct.'17, 1933 259,899 Moore June 20, 1882 1,240,098 Sweeney Sept. 11, 1917 1,544,057 Dimick June 30, 1925 319,144 Stephens et al June 2, 1885 303,488 Bradley lAug. 12, 1884 454,275 Johnson June 16, 1891 2,068,765 Quinlan Jan. 26, 1937 2,317,415 Smith Apr. 27, 1943 2,317,354 Bennett Apr. 27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,852 British July 12, 1879 

